Our daughter, Rehtaeh Parsons, died April 7th, 2013 by suicide at the age of 17. The media ban is due to a Canadian law that requires judges to prohibit the publication of information that could identify victims of child pornography under any and all circumstances. She plans to share her friends story, even its sadness, with her daughter. They gave no thought at all to her. Investigation Discoverys Web of Lies: The Girl in the Photo chronicles what happened in this case. In addition to 12 months of meeting with a youth probation officer, the 20-year-old must submit a DNA sample to a national registry and write a letter of apology to Rehtaeh Parsons' family. When teenager Rehtaeh Parson attempted to kill herself in April 2013, the incident sparked outrage because of what had happened before and how the authorities dealt with the case. "The past 14 months have been particularly difficult. The night the explicit photo was taken of the 15-year-old girl vomiting out a window as one of the boys had sex with her and gave a thumbs up, a picture that would be shared without mercy . Shortly after, citing the receipt of new information, the police reopened the investigation. He said things have been "twisted.". The lawyer is also acritic of the new legislation, but for very different reasons. Theyhad immediately clicked as Grade 10 students afterRehtaeh had arrived in February 2012 to Jollimore's school,Prince Andrew High in Dartmouth, N.S. Thats an adult crime.. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. This year, for the first time, it will not go ahead. So she was on the move once again, this time to Citadel High School in Halifax, then back to Prince Andrew in February 2013. Her death left us devastated. "This is not a court of retribution. Thats why I tell people all the time, if you know somebody who is in a really bad place, dont think Ill call them tomorrow. Call them right now.. Life can be cruel and life can be hard. Last month, the now-20-year-old man who took the photo showing his friend penetrating Parsons from behind while giving a thumbs-up sign pled guilty to one count of manufacturing child pornography. It was two hours before Rehtaeh tried to kill herself. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Superintendent Roland Wells said one man, 18, had been charged with two counts of distributing child pornography and the second man, also 18, was charged with making child pornography and distributing it. With Rehtaeh Parsons, Leah Parsons, Glen Canning, Selena Ross. Fish contaminated with "forever chemicals" found in nearly every state, CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue, Missing teens may be among 7 found dead in Oklahoma, authorities say, Gordon Lightfoot, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" singer, dies at age 84, Bob Lee died from three stab wounds, medical examiner says, At least 6 dead after dust storm causes massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Oklahoma governor signs gender-affirming care ban for kids, U.S. tracking high-altitude balloon first spotted off Hawaii. Jollimore refuses to stop saying her name. All rights reserved. As she was vomiting out of the window, she was allegedly raped, and a photograph of the event was then disseminated around her school. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Victims also can seek a protection order that could place restrictions on or help identify the cyberbully. The rape happened two years prior when she was 15, allegedly by four classmates at a friend's house. The only positive note, she said, was that the tragedy had led to the passage of legislation criminalizing cyberbullying in Nova Scotia. I dont think [the act] should apply when it comes to sexual assault or violent crimes the crimes that leave people damaged and hurt deeply, he said. I was always reminded of thats how she felt. Leah used her experiences to become a public speaker, talking at colleges, and schools and speaking to police officers and lawyers regarding sexual violence, the impact of cyber-bullying, and victim-blaming. But it reopens wounds. Please enter valid email address to continue. The RCMP initially said there weren't enough grounds to lay charges after consulting with Novia Scotia's Public Prosecution Service, reports the Metro newspaper in Canada,but re-opened the investigation a week after Parsons' death, saying someone stepped forward with new information. It made no sense. Glen co-authored a book titled My Daughter Rehtaeh Parsons released in 2021. Some of them were only 10 when Rehtaehs death made national headlines. As for Glen Canning, he regretted not calling her daughter on that fateful day but now uses it to help others. On April 4, 2013, Rehtaeh Parsons (/ r t e /, r-TAY-; December 9, 1995 - April 7, 2013), a 17-year-old former Cole Harbour District High School student, attempted suicide by hanging at her home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, leading to a coma and the decision to switch her life support machine off on April 7, 2013. A publication ban prevents Canadian media from referring to Rehtaeh Parsons by name, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. It is about sexual consent. Two months ago, she addressed a group of community college nursing graduates in Dartmouth, N.S. Web of Lies: The Girl in the Photo chronicles what happened in this case. The sentencing in Nova Scotia marked the end of a case that has provoked furious condemnation of the Canadian legal system that first failed to bring charges against Parsonss alleged attackers, and then imposed a reporting ban on the victims name. Select from premium Rehtaeh Parsons of the highest quality. Rehtaeh Parsons Protest. A Halifax court ruled on Thursday that no jail time or probation would be given to the young man responsible for the photo that led Rehtaeh Parsons to kill herself in April 2013. Its overwhelming.. In a statement posted today, the group claims "one of the alleged rapists has made . ", "A girl who changed all the rules, changed how we view things," says Jollimore, who wants to become a youth mental health worker. "It was one of those stupid little fights," Campbell recalls. But she credited public outcry with forcing the police and prosecutors to take action in cases of sexual assault: The fact that these young men were charged and convicted sends an important message to the Canadian public, for victims of rape and young women in general. Theres been a shift in conversation to speak out and openly about sexualized violence, and to show one another respect and compassion, she says. Leah Parsons says her daughter Rehtaeh Parsons, pictured above, killed herself after she never recovered from an alleged rape by four teenage boys that left her deeply depressed and bullied in her community. In a victim impact statement read to the court before sentencing, Canning questioned why the crime had been tried under the lenient terms of Canadas Youth Criminal Justice Act, noting that the first young man convicted in the case was granted a conditional discharge. The accused was ordered to register a DNA sample, apologize to Rehtaeh Parsons' family, and it was suggested that he take a sexual harassment course. Its a simple tattoo that reads: 04/07/2013. The girl in the photo, Rehtaeh Parsons, faced vicious slut-shaming and harassment as a result of the photo. He hopes the concerns hes raised with the justice minister will be considered as regulations to accompany the law are crafted. But the subsequent trial of two participants for distributing child pornography aroused a storm of indignation because of a compulsory ban on revealing the victims name, even though the case had already received wide coverage. Rehtaeh couldve been one of them. After gang-rape photo goes viral, 17-year-old victim hangs herself . The program, she says in the manuals dedication, is Rehtaehs "lifes legacy.". 10 following. Her mother said a boy took a photo of the alleged assault in 2011 and that her daughter was bullied for months after it was distributed online. A few days later, the family learned what actually happened. Victim's father says justice wasn't served and won't be until rape allegations are fully investigated #youknowhername. They were Rehtaehs age, and some of them knew her. Her death has been attributed to online distribution of . Kevin Morris is a veteran web reporter and editor who specializes in longform journalism. The 17-year-old was taken off life support with Leahs authorization about three days later. Bryony Jollimore remembers the day her best friend suddenly switched schools and changed her phone number without passing along a new one. A second man convicted over the humiliation of Rehtaeh Parsons, the Canadian schoolgirl who killed herself after a photograph of her reported rape was shared online, has walked free from jail after he was given a probationary sentence. Canadian authorities have come under fierce criticism for their handling of the case, and their failure to protect victims of sexual assault. "I too couldve caused something like that to happen," says Wells. He also recommended he attend a sexual harassment course. The man is facing a further charge of uttering death threats against Parsonss father, Glen Canning. "People all have phones in their hands and they're documenting everything. Rehtaeh struggled with her mental health, and about four months after the alleged incident, Glen took her to a pediatric hospital and trauma center, where she stayed for five weeks. Her friends turned against her; people harassed her, [and] boys she didnt know started texting her and Facebooking asking her to have sex with them since she had had sex with their friends. The ban was ignored online, inspiring the Twitter hashtag #YouKnowHerName, with mainstream media following suit. In the aftermath, the Cybersafety Act took effect in August 2013. 2023 BBC. "If something like that were to happen, wed all have each others backs," says Deana Symes, 16. Parsons' mother went on to explain that she didn't want the accused to do time in jail. In July, online hacktivist group Anonymous released the names of her alleged rapists. "I made a huge mistake,"he said, adding that he had apologized to Parsons in the days after the photo began circulating and felt guilt for sharing it. The review of the RCMP's investigation continues. Their empowerment club is called Girl on Fire. When Parsons' death was first reported it caused widespread outrage online. But its nice to know there have been some results since.. After months of threats, hacktivist group Anonymous has finally taken justice into its own hands in the case of Rehtaeh Parsons, the Canadian teen who committed suicide after photos her being gang . In the months after that, Rehtaeh and the family moved from their home in Cole Harbour in Nova Scotia to Halifax, the capital of the province. Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, killed herself after photos of the incident were widely shared and months of cyber-bullying from her peers. A provincial inquiry into the handling of the case is due to resume following the convictions. He's lookingat the camera and givinga thumbs-up. However, that was quashed in 2015, and later, the Intimate Images and Cyber-protection Act was enforced in 2018. In April, the teen attempted suicide at her home, and later died after being taken off life support, according to news reports. Complete coverage of Rehtaeh Parsons on Crimesider. These days, he writes in a journal about his reformed views on consent as a way to deal with depression. Shes dead now. The lawyer for the man, now 20, argued that his client himself became the victim of bullying following the incident and said that he did not take part in the torment that followed the distribution of the notorious photograph. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. Rehtaeh Parsons' father, Glen Canning, told reporters that justice wasn't served. As per the family, the police told them that the pictures were not a criminal issue despite Rehtaeh only being 15. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She'll never know that.". Every anniversary of Rehtaeh's death has been marked by a memorial walk through the streets of Cole Harbour, an event organized by her mother, Leah Parsons. Police said they have no plans charge anyone with rape, Halifax Regional Police Chief Jean-Michel Blais told reporters at a press conference Thursday. She said she believes that he is remorseful and hopes he learns the value of women and respects them. Last December, Jacob Wells shared the story of his own personal reckoning at an event to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Chatham, Ont. Read about our approach to external linking. The real-life drama stirred up by sexual assault and victim-blaming provides plenty of material. (CBS) HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - Canadian police have arrested two males in connection with the case of Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year-old Nova Scotia girl who committed suicide after she was allegedly gang raped and cyber-bullied, the Toronto Globe and Mail reports. It just never stopped.. He argued it was a dumpster fire, a piece of legislation so far-reaching it allowed provincial authorities to seek court orders against those they deemed bullies for what amounted to online arguments. They dug up the names of her alleged rapists, threatening to release them unless the RCMP reopened the casewhich it did about a week after her death, though its unclear if their motivation came from Anonymouss threats or from international pressure. At the time of the incident, the parents were with different partners but equally involved with her upbringing. "This may be weighing on you more than you realize,"he said. This year, she intends to head outdoors into nature to grieve. The two were arrested at 8 a.m. Thursday by the Halifax-region Royal Canadian Mounted Police at their homes in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Novia Scotia, an RCMP spokesman, Cpl. 2018 CBC/Radio-Canada. Girl on Fire is a club Rehtaeh never had. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. Parsons' case sparked outrage across Canada. He was just another kid. Instead, he listens to them talk about sports and catcall women. Parsons, who learned of the photo when it appeared on social media,faced intense bullying over it and took her own life in April 2013. On Thursday, Judge Gregory Lenehan told the man the act shown in the photo was "vile, it is degrading, it is dehumanising". He's looking at the camera and giving a thumbs-up. Addressing the court, Rehtaehs mother, Leah Parsons, said that she doubted whether the convicted man felt any true remorse for his act, before invoking the memory of her daughter. Having sex with girls who didnt say yes? To hear those words, 'We've made two arrests,' I felt like crying, I felt like running," he said. Parsons has heard of four parents whove honoured their daughters in that way. It marks the beginning of his awakening, one that forced him to examine some ugly truths about himself. The federal government took more time when it made the publication of intimate images without consent a crime, a law that has been used in at least one high-profile prosecution. What some people may believe occurred and what can be substantiated in a police investigation through verified evidence and what can finally be proved in court are often very different things,, We, as police officers, cannot act on innuendo or speculation. According to Leah, the teenager didnt remember all of what happened that night but recollected throwing up out of a window. Watch CBC Nova Scotia's mini-documentary on Rehtaeh Parsons's legacy. The Intimate Images and Cyber-Protection Act, he says, has swung too far by creating a heavy burden for victims that requires them to hire a lawyer and start a time-consuming lawsuit in order to stop cyber-harassment. "At the same time you feel sad because my daughter is never going to know that sense of justice. Leah added that children in the school started calling her daughter a sl-t and bullied her. He led the Daily Dots esports vertical and, following its acquisition by GAMURS in late 2016, launched Dot Esports, where he serves as the sites editor-in-chief. Rehtaeh Parsons Society: http://rehtaehparsons.ca/Visit our *Sponsor* Oshuns House \u0026 Multicultural Botanical: http://oshuns-house.comBecome a Serial Napper Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/serialnapper Join the Serial Society true crime Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/serialnapperpatronMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators! They didn't protect her then, and they aren't helping her now.". As in Steubenville, online activist group Anonymous took an intense interest in Parsonss case. Justice minister Ross Landry introduced the legislation in the weeks after Rehtaeh's death. A Halifax court ruled on Thursday that no jail time or probation would be given to the young man responsible for the photo that led Rehtaeh Parsons to kill herself in April 2013.. A judge for the Halifax Provincial Court imposed a mandatory DNA sample and ordered that the accused apologize to Rehtaeh Parsons' family. Fraser fought the law that Nova Scotia enacted in August 2013, four months after Rehtaeh died. The unnamed man, who is not identified because he was underage at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to making child pornography. Since her daughters death, Parsons has become a reluctant public speaker. The RCMP initially said there weren't enough grounds to lay charges after consulting with Novia Scotia's Public Prosecution Service, reports the Metro newspaper in Canada,but re-opened the investigation a week after Parsons' death, saying someone stepped forward with new information. Another young man is set to begin trial later in November for distribution of child pornography in the same case. Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, killed herself after photos of the incident were widely shared and months of cyber-bullying from her peers. Arrests were made in that case. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Explosion derails train in Russian border region. The photoshows Parsons and the 17-year-old both naked from the waist down, with himpressed against her. Canadian media cannot refer to Parsons or the man by name because . The man, whose identity is protected because he was 17 at the time of the offence, admitted to posing with Parsons at a house party in Cole Harbour, N.S., in a photo taken two years ago that was later circulatedonline. Hilla Kerner, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Rape Relief and Womens Shelter, Canadas oldest rape crisis facility said case exposed a tremendous failure of the criminal justice system. The death of Rehtaeh Parsons cannot be attributed to one single individual beyond herself (as the one who took her own life). He called the photo a "stark example of the objectification of girls and women. Then I knew how it felt to be attacked. Nova Scotia teenager Rehtaeh Parsons died five years ago Saturday. "After everything we've been through, you're almost in a place where you're not expecting anything at all and then all of a sudden it's here. But her tormentors had found her again. Now, after months of what seemed another middling, half-hearted investigation, the RCMP has finally moved. A young Canadian man who pleaded guilty to taking a photo of an alleged sexual assault has avoided jail time. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 247 followers. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Jollimore dropped out of school for a few months to grieve, but also to get away from bullies who had turned on her after Rehtaehs death. In November 2014, one of them pled guilty to making child pornography and was sentenced to a conditional discharge. The teen who took the photo pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography in November. Police in Canada have charged two young men with distributing child pornography in the cyberbullying case of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old who killed herself after a photo of her allegedly being raped was shared online. The emotional toll of "hitting the five-year mark is really difficult," Parsons says. It changed his life. The teen's family said she was tormented for months after a digital photo of the alleged November, 2011 gang rape was circulated around her school. We verify them.. Follow. Two 18-year-old men, not yet identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have been charged with child pornography. The far-reaching effects of cyberbullying, rape culture and victim blaming - all borne by one girl, Rehtaeh Parsons. Police in April said a person had provided new information in the Parsons case and was willing to identify the suspects. Search from Rehtaeh Parsons Photos stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. The pre-sentence report says the man cried when he learned Parsons had died. Because he knows he could have been one of the boys at the small Nov. 12, 2011, party where Rehtaeh said she was sexually assaulted. . Two of the boys from that night eventually pleaded guilty to child pornography-related offences. In April 2013, Rehtaeh Parsons hung herself in her family's bathroom after photos of her gang rape were distributed online by classmates. The Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, applauded the progress in the case and said Rehtaeh's death was a terrible tragedy that touched people across Canada. Her voice was not heard when she struggled to be heard, Parsons said. First published on August 9, 2013 / 9:46 AM. All told, she switched schools four times in a year and half. PICTURES: Mom blames rape, bullying for teen's suicide. The Rehtaeh Parsons' case has aired on the Investigation Discovery television program Web of Lies and her parents Glen Canning and Leah Parsons are speaking out about the program and their daughter's case.Rehtaeh Parsons was a 14-year-old teenager in Nova Scotia who went to a party in November 2011, where she was allegedly gang-raped. And as it turns out, Bryony Jollimore isnt the only mom whos decided to name her daughter Rehtaeh. He will spend 12 months on probation as a result of the pornography charge, and is forbidden from drinking alcohol or making contact with the dead girls family. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. They have, in this club, a sisterhood. Rehtaeh's death prompted the Nova Scotia government to launch reviews of the RCMP's original investigation and the school board's handling of the matter. Never discussed. "Halifax, Canada - April 14, 2013: Leah Parsons, mother of Rehtaeh Parsons, is surrounded by a group of protestors showing their support for the re-opening of her daughter's case following the young girl's suicide in the aftermath of a sexual assault and relentless bullying via Social Media. This fall, the media ban only led to further online outrage and inspired the hashtag #YouKnowHerName. Leah talked about the harassment she faced online once Rehtaehs story became public. Posted on Aug 9, 2013Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 9:32 am CDT, Two men have finally been arrested in the case of Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year-old teen who committed suicide in April a year after photos of her being allegedly gang raped went viral across the Nova Scotia school system. Right off the bat here, I need to give you a trigger warning, because the story Im talking about involves sexual assault and suicide. Man sentenced to probation on pornography charge after photo was shared online of reported rape of Rehtaeh Parsons, 15, who later killed herself. But it sure is now., 'Our daughter is dead. Canning, who has become an activist in the struggle to curtail sex abuse, remains dispirited by the lack of sympathy for his daughters death. Erin Donaghue reports and writes for CBSNews.com on topics including criminal justice, social justice and culture. She died in April 2013 after she attempted suicide and was taken off life-support. "I think the government just wants this to die down so they can get out of the spotlight. In the aftermath of their daughters death, Leah and Glen have become activists in their own right and have kept Rehtaehs story alive. Published April 10, 2013 3:11PM (EDT) (Rehtaeh Parsons. Mom blames rape, bullying for teen's suicide, DNA solves "decades-old mystery" after woman's remains found in 1995, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case: A timeline of events, NYPD officer Troy Patterson dies 33 years after being shot in robbery. The father of cyberbully victim Rehtaeh Parsons, speaks to the BBC about his grief a year after her death. When we are looking to the judiciary to respond to what survivors have been saying about rape and incest and their effects, then probationary sentences can feel like less than justice. Jollimore believes Rehtaeh wanted so desperately to feel "normal" that she kept her pain hidden from even her best friend. Two young men have been charged. "You did in a few seconds set in motion a series of events that led to a great deal of shame, humiliation, anger, despair, anguish, loss, hurt and destruction.". A report prepared before the sentencing noted that the man apologised to Parsons shortly after the incident and cried when he learned that she had killed herself. Their lives took a terrible turn in November 2011 when Rahtaeh attended a party with a few friends. During the sentencing on Thursday, according to reporters live-tweeting the ruling, the judge said it was a very difficult sentencing. What Jollimore didnt know at the time was that Rehtaeh was being humiliated by cyberbullies who were sharing over and over againthe explicit photo, taken little more than two months earlier. Five years later, her legacy endures. ", David Fraser is the Halifax lawyer who helped bring down the anti-cyberbullying law inspired by Rehtaeh.. This is the story of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old girl from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, who experienced something that no one should ever have to go through. bullying kills - rehtaeh parsons stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. A girl sitting next to her nods in agreement. Rehtaeh's death has been compared to similar cases in the United States, including 15-year-old California girl Audrie Pott, who hanged herself after her family says she was sexually assaulted by friends and a photo surfaced online. Rehtaeh Parsons was just 15 years old when she was allegedly raped by four boys at a friend's home in 2011. It is a court that seeks to reform and rehabilitate the young person," he said, according to CBC. He also recommended he attend a sexual harassment course.
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